Book Title: Jane Avril: The Muse of the Moulin Rouge by M. L. Malcolm
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 337 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: A Good Read Publishing
Release date: February 2026
Content Rating: PG +M: Some non-explicit discussions of sex; one subtle yet explicit sex scene and a brief discussion of suicide
Born the bastard daughter of an aristocrat, Jane Avril became the most famous dancer at the most famous dance hall in the world during the "Gay 90's" in Paris: the Moulin Rouge. Beautiful, intelligent, and fiercely independent, she earned a place among the most famous artists, writers, and entertainers of her day, including Henri Toulouse Lautrec, who immortalized her in his paintings and posters. Immerse yourself in the turbulent and fascinating life of a Belle Epoque legend as she struggles out of poverty into the limelight, learning how to live and love as Queen of La Danse.
1. What literary pilgrimages
have you gone on?
I’ve never made a literary pilgrimage. If I’m in a place where a writer I
admire lived, I will go to his or her home to soak up the vibe. I saw a
production of The Custom of the Country at Edith Wharton’s home in
Massachusetts, which was wonderful. I’ve done some James Joyce–related barhopping
in Ireland. When I can, I travel to do research for a book, and have journeyed
to Paris, Havana, Budapest and Shanghai for that reason. However, I would love
to make a pilgrimage to Bath, England, during the Jane Austin festival.
2. What is the first book that
made you cry?
Gone with the Wind. I was eleven when I read it and cried hysterically
for days. Then I would put the movie soundtrack on my record player and cry
some more.
3. Does writing energize or
exhaust you?
Energize! I’m always at my happiest when I’m writing. My husband has even
commented that he can tell when I’ve been writing because I’m extra bubbly when
he gets home.
4. What is your writing
kryptonite?
Family drama.
5. Did you ever consider writing
under a pseudonym?
I kind of do. A small independent press published my first novel. They didn’t
want to hide the fact that I was a woman—the whole back cover was a headshot of
me—but they thought my full name, “Mary Lee,” was so Southern it would make people
think I had written grit lit or a southern gothic. M.L. has always been my nickname, so we went
with that.
6. What other authors are you
friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I’ve known Karen White since our early days in the Georgia Romance Writers
Association. She’s always been generous with advice, especially on marketing.
Although I know several bestselling authors casually, I don’t have close writer
friends, I think in partbecause I’ve moved so often. It’s much easier to stay
in touch now than it was before email.
7. Do you want each book to
stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections
between each book?
There were connections between my first three novels, but that’s not something
I strive for. Each one is inspired by some underexplored historical nugget that
I stumbled upon. I’m a history geek.
8. What authors did you dislike
at first but grow into?
Gabriel García Márquez. I hated One Hundred Years of Solitude when I
first read it. I read it again five years later and loved it. I’ve read
everything he’s written. We were all forced to read Of Human Bondage by
Somerset Maugham in high school, which I detested, but years later I stumbled
across The Painted Veil, loved it, and have enjoyed many of his other
works.
9. What’s your favorite
underappreciated novel?
The Amelia Peabody cozy mystery series by Elizabeth Peters. The main character
is a female archaeologist in Egypt in the 1880s. Every season she finds
artifacts and solves another murder. I think Peters is as good as Agatha
Christie, and often funnier.
10. As a writer, what would you
choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
An elephant. I’ve been lucky enough to observe them up close in Africa while
working with a wildlife veterinarian, andI spent two weeks at an elephant
reserve in Thailand. They are remarkable animals:strong, emotive, intelligent,
and loyal. We humans could learn a lot from them.
11. How many unpublished and
half-finished books do you have?
One completed novel and one half-finished novel. And a lot of short stories.
12. What did you edit out of
this book?
Not much. No large chunks, to be sure. My challenge was to add depth to Jane
Avril’s memoirs, and to finish the story of her life from where she left off
when they were published in 1933.
13. If you didn’t write, what
would you do for work?
I wouldn’t.
14. Do you hide any secrets in
your books that only a few people will find?
Rarely. Once, I planted a character from a previous book into a subsequent one,
and only a few people made the connection.
15. What is your favorite
childhood book?
Little Women. Even at ten, I identified with Jo’s desire to be a writer,
and I loved reading about the escapades of the March family.
M.L. Malcolm loves readers! She has visited with over a hundred book clubs all over the country, and is happy to use Zoom or whatever technology is available to connect when a personal visit isn't possible. She's also a history geek, so she loves reading and writing historical fiction.
She began her professional career as an attorney in Atlanta, Georgia. After practicing law for three years, M.L. determined that "she and the law were not meant for each other," and is now a self-described "recovering attorney."
As part of her recovery strategy, M.L. yielded to her entrepreneurial inclinations and took over a struggling travel agency. She ran the business successfully for several years before selling it to a larger company, then retired from the labor force to spend more time with her children and pursue her life-long ambition to become a writer. She has also amassed an impressive hat collection (and yes, she does wear them).
M.L. has won several awards, including recognition in the prestigious Lorian Hemingway International Short Story Competition, and a silver medal from ForeWord magazine for Best Historical Fiction Book of the Year. "Heart of Lies" was chosen by the American Booksellers Association as an "Indie Pick" and a "Recommended Book Club Read" selection, and M.L. was selected by Target Stores as an "Author to Watch". She has also worked as a free-lance journalist for newspapers and magazines in Washington, DC and Los Angeles.
She and her family currently live in Washington, DC. M.L. is her nickname. Her full name is Mary Lee Malcolm
connect with the author: goodreads
No comments:
Post a Comment